This week's top stories

  • Jennifer Badura suffered through a life-threatening bout of West Nile Virus last September. She is pictured her with her family, including, from left, daughter Danica, husband Craig and son Caleb.
    Jennifer Badura suffered through a life-threatening bout of West Nile Virus last September. She is pictured her with her family, including, from left, daughter Danica, husband Craig and son Caleb.
  • JEO Consulting has begun planning steps to imrpove 1st Street from the Highway 34 intersection to the railroad tracks south of the school, which could include lowering the roadway to improve drainage in the area.
    JEO Consulting has begun planning steps to imrpove 1st Street from the Highway 34 intersection to the railroad tracks south of the school, which could include lowering the roadway to improve drainage in the area.
  • Elementary teachers and Sweet and Sour owners Rene Ostdiek, left, and Becky Farris show off their homemade sourdough bread and chocolate chip cookies.
    Elementary teachers and Sweet and Sour owners Rene Ostdiek, left, and Becky Farris show off their homemade sourdough bread and chocolate chip cookies.
  • Watch for coverage of Saturday's field day at Grain Place Foods in next week's ANR.
    Watch for coverage of Saturday's field day at Grain Place Foods in next week's ANR.

    Badura shares life-threatening battle with West Nile

    It all started with a mosquito bite.
    Ten months later Jennifer Badura still doesn’t know if that bite came on a camping trip to Fort Kearney, in the back yard of the family’s home in Aurora or at recess on the playground in York, where she works as a middle school guidance counselor. What she does know is that on Sept. 8 of last year she quite suddenly felt ill, beginning a downward spiral that knocked her off her otherwise extremely healthy feet. Badura shares her harrowing battle with what was eventually diagnosed as West Nile Virus, which turned into viral meningitis, in this week's ANR.

     

    Major 1st Street project on horizon

    Details were shared for the first time last week regarding a planned renovation of the busy 1st Street corridor stretching from the Highway 34 intersection to the railroad tracks south of the school. The Aurora City Council entered into an agreement with JEO Consulting to evaluate the roadway, which is reportedly causing concerns in regard to drainage, road condition and increased traffic flow. See detailed report in this week's ANR.
     

    Teachers launch Sweet & Sour venture

    With a free summer and a perfect name, Aurora Elementary teachers Rene Ostdiek and Becky Farris started their baking business: Sweet and Sour. Ostdiek specializes in sourdough bread while Farris excels in the cookie department, her favorites being a classic chocolate chip cookie and the occasional monster cookie as well. They share their story in this week's ANR business story.

     

    Grain Place Foods Field Day tour

    David Vetter, far right, president of Grain Place Foods, stands in a barley field as he gives a tour of the organic farm near Marquette on Saturday. Vetter was explaining the farm’s nine-year crop rotation program during the morning hours of the 30th annual Grain Place Foods Field Day. The event, which featured tours of the farm’s storage and processing facilities as well as demonstrations and presentations, drew dozens of people from around the area and surrounding states as well. Watch for coverage of the event’s keynote speaker in next week’s ANR.